The tea-leaf contains the largest amount of nutritive
matter of any plant used as human food, though only
a small portion of it is extracted by our common method
of making tea. There is a large proportion of casein in
the leaves. Many of the savage tribes of Tartar}^ boil the
leaves with soda, and eat them with salt and butter. But
in our method of using tea as a beverage merel}^, we use
such a comparatively small quantity that the amount of
nutriment is verj^ little ; its chief value being the sense
of warmth and comfort that it gives. It excites the brain
to increased activity, and produces wakefulness ; hence it
is useful to students and night- workers. It retards the
action of the natural functions, causes less waste, and, to
a certain extent, saves food. For this reason, when not
used in excess, it is suited to poor people, whose supplies
of substantial food are scanty ; and to old persons, whose
powers of digestion and whose bodil}'' substance have
begun to fail. It should not be used early in the morning,
as the body needs immediate nourishment in a larger
quantity ; and it should at all times be taken moderately,
both as to quantity and strength.
112 The Boston Cook Booh.
The water should be freshly boiled. Scald and heat
the teapot, which should be of earthen or china, never of
tin. Allow one teaspoonful of tea for one cup of boiling
water, Eeduce the proportion of tea when several cups
are required. Put the tea in a strainer, pour through it
half a cup of boiling water to cleanse the grounds. Then
put the tea in the teapot ; pour on the boiling water ;
cover closely and place it where it will keep hot, but
not boil, for five minutes. If cold or lukewarm water be
used in making tea, the thein^ or nitrogenous substance,
will not be obtained.
In boiling tea or allowing the leaves to remain long in
the tea, by repeated steeping, the fragrant aroma is wasted
and the tannin is extracted, which may cause gastric dis-
orders to those who drink it. Never make tea in a
tin teapot, as the tannic acid acts upon the metal and
produces a poisonous compound.
A slice of lemon is a good substitute for milk in tea.
The lemon prevents the headache and sleeplessness which
the tea causes in some persons.
A French chemist recommends grinding tea like coffee.
It will yield nearly double the amount of its exhilarating
quality Also to put a lump of sugar into the teapot
with the tea.
Iced Tea, or Russian Tea.
Make the tea by the first receipt, strain it from the
grounds, and keep it cool. When ready to serve, put two
cubes of block sugar in a glass, half Jill with broken ice^ add
a slice of lemon ^ and fill the glass with cold tea✪ Iced Tea or Russian Tea.
Coffee.
Coffee grows on small trees. Mocha, the best variety,
is grown in Arabia. Other choice kinds come from Java,
the West Indies, and South America. The fruit of the
coffee tree is something like the cherry, and contains two
seeds or beans. Bruising the fruit separates the berries,
The Boston Cook Booh
113
Page 70 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The tea-leaf contains the largest amount of nutritive matter of any plant used as human food, though only a small portion of it is extracted by our common method of making tea. There is a large proportion of casein in the leaves. Many of the savage tribes of Tartary boil the leaves with soda, and eat them with salt and butter. But in our method of using tea as a beverage merely, we use such a comparatively small quantity that the amount of nutriment is very little ; its chief value being the sense of warmth and comfort that it gives. It excites the brain to increased activity, and produces wakefulness ; hence it is useful to students and night- workers. It retards the action of the natural functions, causes less waste, and, to a certain extent, saves food. For this reason, when not used in excess, it is suited to poor people, whose supplies of substantial food are scanty ; and to old persons, whose powers of digestion and whose bodily substance have begun to fail. It should not be used early in the morning, as the body needs immediate nourishment in a larger quantity ; and it should at all times be taken moderately, both as to quantity and strength.
112 The Boston Cook Booh.
The water should be freshly boiled. Scald and heat the teapot, which should be of earthen or china, never of tin. Allow one teaspoonful of tea for one cup of boiling water, Eeduce the proportion of tea when several cups are required. Put the tea in a strainer, pour through it half a cup of boiling water to cleanse the grounds. Then put the tea in the teapot ; pour on the boiling water ; cover closely and place it where it will keep hot, but not boil, for five minutes. If cold or lukewarm water be used in making tea, the theine or nitrogenous substance, will not be obtained.
In boiling tea or allowing the leaves to remain long in the tea, by repeated steeping, the fragrant aroma is wasted and the tannin is extracted, which may cause gastric disorders to those who drink it. Never make tea in a tin teapot, as the tannic acid acts upon the metal and produces a poisonous compound.
A slice of lemon is a good substitute for milk in tea. The lemon prevents the headache and sleeplessness which the tea causes in some persons.
A French chemist recommends grinding tea like coffee. It will yield nearly double the amount of its exhilarating quality Also to put a lump of sugar into the teapot with the tea.
Iced Tea, or Russian Tea.
Make the tea by the first receipt, strain it from the grounds, and keep it cool. When ready to serve, put two cubes of block sugar in a glass, half fill with broken ice, add a slice of lemon, and fill the glass with cold tea.
Coffee.
Coffee grows on small trees. Mocha, the best variety, is grown in Arabia. Other choice kinds come from Java, the West Indies, and South America. The fruit of the coffee tree is something like the cherry, and contains two seeds or beans. Bruising the fruit separates the berries,
The Boston Cook Booh
Records on this page
Iced Tea or Russian Tea